PRESS BOX

Doping has USOC's focus

July 02, 2007|By Tribune news services

The U.S. Olympic Committee plans a more aggressive anti-doping approach, putting more emphasis on testing athletes in high-risk sports such as track and cycling, increasing unannounced testing and pumping more money into research.

Not satisfied with the progress in the increasingly high-profile fight against doping, the USOC signed a new deal with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency through 2010 that gives the USOC a more active role in expanding research.

Even before the new contract, details of which will be made public Monday, the USOC and USADA had what is regarded as the most extensive anti-doping system in U.S. sports.

Under the new contract, the USADA will receive about $2 million a year from the USOC, which represents about 17 percent of its approximately $12 million annual budget. The rest comes from the federal government.

*The tiny Pacific island chain of Tuvalu is set to become the newest Olympic member. The IOC executive board agreed Sunday to grant recognition to Tuvalu, which has a population of about 12,000.